Secrets
by Quitealiar
Summary: America and Canada know each others' secret disability. They help each other hide it from the others. But will this be enough? Based off of BronzeButterfly18's "Brothers."
1. Chapter 1

**Big thanks to BronzeButterfly18 for letting me use her idea of America being blind and Canada being unable to speak much**.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

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><p>Alfred's eyes popped open. He sat up straight, breathing heavily. He hated those dreams where he couldn't find his way. That was the worst part of being blind. Feeling so vulnerable sometimes. He started to get up when he heard the sound of a door swishing across too-long carpeting. He tensed, trying to think of who it could be.<p>

Then, he heard a light switch being flicked on, which lessened his suspicions that someone was there that shouldn't be. He started to rush out to figure out who it was. Nearing the door, he tripped over something. He set it back up, and realized it was probably a briefcase. It was the right size and shape to be one. He knew it had to belong to whoever had come into his house. He kept the place messy, but he knew where everything was.

Getting back up, he neared the doorway. Inside he heard a drawer open, and papers rustle. Alfred opened the door, and plastered a huge smile on his face.

"Hey. Whatcha doin'?" he asked, making sure it was a general statement that could apply to anyone who might be there.

"Calm down. It's me. Canada."

"Oh. Hey, Mattie! You brought my papers?" Matthew usually translated Alfred's papers from English to Braille. Alfred rarely told his presidents about his disability. He didn't want to worry them.

When Matthew was too busy to translate, or the papers were about something secret, he paid a child to do it. The child was thrilled to have a secret and a way to earn money. Besides, they never understood what they were translating, and he was always with them when they translated it, so he knew they didn't copy it..

Just then, Matthew started coughing violently. Alfred sighed, running to the kitchen to get paper towels, and running back. He handed Matthew the towels and did his best to comfort his twin. When Matthew finished coughing, Alfred tossed the towels-coated with blood- into the trash. Matthew gestured toward the desk drawer and Alfred pulled the paperwork out of it. It was nice to have someone to help him keep the secret. They helped each other.

America would cover for Matthew when a someone had a rare conversation with him. Canada helped Alfred with anything he would need to see. The arrangement worked out well. It kept the two close. It also helped them stay alert. This alertness had helped them often in the past. Hopefully, it would help in the future. Because otherwise, this secret was out.

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><p><strong>Please tell me how I did!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

They spent a few hours together, attempting to communicate. It was hard, because Matthew could barely make a sound, especially after his coughing fit. With most people, he would use sign language at that point, but, of course, Alfred couldn't see it. Mostly, it was just Alfred talking, and Matthew would sign a symbol across Alfred's hand if he needed to say something. It was easier when Sierra was with them. She was deaf, so she knew what it was like to have problems communicating. She also understood why they needed it kept a secret.

The three were closer than they would want the other countries to know. They had all become closer for their own gain, really. If they didn't help each other, everyone would learn the truth. If everyone learned the truth, they would pity the nations, and they would act as though the three were incapable of doing anything. They couldn't stand the thought of this.

It is rather strange that Matthew and Alfred became closest. They were the two members of the trio who have the most difficulty communicating. Still, they were brothers- twins, even- and they put more of an effort into it.

Matthew soon left, and Alfred began reading the documents. He flipped through them; they were just the usual stuff, and started working for a while.

Soon, Maria, the little girl who currently translated his papers, knocked on the door. She had a very distinctive knock. She would knock three times quickly, then once until you opened the door.

She came inside quickly, carrying a stack of papers.

"Hi. I checked your email like you asked. Most of it was spam, but there was some important stuff. That stuff I printed out. Here ya go!" She said brightly, handing it over.

"Oh, and you have a World Meeting coming up, soon. I think it's on the fourteenth." Maria liked to tell him those things personally. She never realized what, exactly, a World Meeting was, but she never seemed to really care. She loved learning; she had actually known how to read Braille before Alfred asked for her help; but she wasn't a very curious girl. She was content to just be a messenger.

Nodding, Alfred grabbed the stack of paper. He invited Maria to come in and talk to him, which she did. Soon, though, she got distracted.

"What are you thinking about?" Alfred asked. He could hear the preoccupation in her tone. Contrary to popular belief among the nations, Alfred could "read the atmosphere." In fact, he could probably read it better than most, simply by listening. But no one expected him to do this.

In their minds, he was just a loud idiot, incapable of deeper understanding. Sometimes, he was glad that they thought this. If they didn't think about what he could do; if they didn't look beneath the surface, then they would never be able to discover his secret.

On the other hand, being thought of as stupid was never fun. Sometimes, he wished that someone besides Sierra and Matthew would notice that he could think, that he could notice things, that he wasn't just a fool, even if that would also mean discovering his secret. He always shut that part of his mind away, though. The other nations could never know. He knew this for a fact.

**Sorry that it's short and late and stupid, but I just wanted to get it out. Most chapters in this are going to be short.**


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